Part 3 of the Camp and Learn Series

I think you will really enjoy part 3 of this series.  It is an animal survey - involving, yep, you guessed it - animal scat.  This study involves very little in the way of extra supplies and it is suitable for older elementary - high school students.  If you missed parts 1 or 2, here are the links:  Part 1, Part 2.

Click on the picture below to access part 3.

 

I hope you and your children are enjoying these studies.  I have had a blast putting them together.  Part 4 will be posted in just a few days, so be watching!!

The Second Freebie in my Summer 'Camp and Learn' Collection

The freebie I am giving today is, again, designed for older students; but, this could be adapted and used with elementary students if desired.  This study is a tree study.  Very basic equipment is needed to complete the study.  You probably have most of the materials at home already.  I hope your budding scientists will enjoy this study and I hope it will help get them 'off the couch and outside' for some learning adventures.  I know my kids need a little motivation, so to speak, when it is hot outside.  I love for them to play and swim and enjoy all things summer; but, I also like for them to explore the wonderful world around them and learn some new things.  This is part 2 in my four part collection called 'Camp and Learn.' I hope you enjoy it!

Just click on the picture to access:

Fun in the Sun - or Water, that is!

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming," is one of my favorite lines from "Finding Nemo."  It comes to mind often during the summer when kids tell me the dreaded (and banned) "I'm bored."  Now, my kids know that if they say that, I will give them something to do, so they don't say it as often now.  I have also learned over many years, to have some projects on hand to keep them busy.  Today I am sharing a summer activity that you can do with your kids.  It is a set of notebooking pages for you to use to complete a study of water. This is the first in a four part series I wrote some time ago.  The series is called Camp and Learn:  A Nature Study in Four Parts. I will be giving you the other parts in the next couple of weeks. I hope it will come in handy for you and your kids!  Enjoy!
Just click on the picture to go to the document: 

Handling Difficult Subjects in Homeschooling

I really didn’t think of myself as a veteran homeschooler until very recently.  We have six children, all of whom homeschooled from 2004 until now.  Four of our six have graduated.  All of our children who have graduated have been successful in college and in the work force.  I will say that the road through high school homeschooling has not always been an easy road to travel.  I have encountered some fellow homeschoolers who are extremely relaxed about the high school years and some who are extremely uptight and nervous about the high school years. There is a happy medium.
     Being a former public and private school high school teacher, I never have been a stressor when the high school years came on the scene.  Friends ask me all the time, “How do you handle teaching Algebra?” or “How do you handle teaching Chemistry?”  Honestly, I didn’t give those subjects much thought when they came about.  I knew my kids had to take the classes, so they did it.  O.k. to be honest, I do have a very strange combination degree which has given me a little more confidence in teaching the harder subjects my kids encounter; but, I can guarantee you that we have encountered subjects that have made me cringe.  My personal nemesis is Physics and Statistics.  For some reason I have a total mental block with these subjects.  So, what do I do when these come up in our high school homeschooling?  I farm them out.

     No, I don’t give up and send my kids back to public school.  I either find another parent who enjoys and understands the subject that is giving me difficulty and is willing to help teach my child that subject, or I find a homeschool tutorial or co-op offering the class.  My kid have several friends whose parents have formed a small family co-op and it is working beautifully. One of the moms loves English grammar and writing, one loves science, and one of the dads is a math guru.  So, the three teenage boys involved meet at each others homes throughout the week to be tutored in and work through each of these subjects.  I love this arrangement because it allows for parental involvement and total individualization of the course work.  I work at a homeschool tutorial center 2 1/2 days a week.  Using my experience of years of science teaching, I teach 14 high school science and lab classes each week.  For some reason, it seems a lot of parents have a fear of upper level science classes and especially science labs. 
      Math is another difficult area for a lot of kids and parents.  I have used other parents, co-ops, tutorials, and even online classes / videos to help teach math.  Every one of my kids is different and I have used different approaches with each.  Sometimes the problem isn’t that a subject is hard, it’s just that a child needs a different approach to learn a subject.  Many classes that I find easy, my kids think are hard – because we all learn differently.
      Is there a blanket solution to more difficult high school subjects? No, there is not.  As a homeschooling parent, watch your kids and see how they learn best.  Examine your own likes and dislikes and areas of expertise when it comes to high school subjects.  If you are not comfortable with teaching a subject, find some type of outside source to help teach your child that subject.  A viable option in some areas is dual-enrollment at a community college.  Our daughter chose this route and ended up graduating from high school as a sophomore in college.  She was inducted into the college honor society and transferred to a four year school a year later with $30,000 in scholarships.  The dual-enrollment option was wonderful for her because she was able to conquer some difficult subjects through taking all of her courses online.  I was around to serve as a mentor for her and help her learn how to schedule her time, study, and approach professors.  This option isn’t for everyone, but it is sometimes an option to consider.  Most importantly, when encountering a hard subject, be honest with your child.  Let him/her know this subject is difficult for you, or may be difficult for him/her.  Allow your child to help you explore different methods of instruction for the class.  Try something different than you usually do – try videos, interviews, games, computer learning, or online classes.  There are so many options available now.  Don’t shy away from the hard subjects!  You can work them into your high schooler’s class list; and, you can succeed.

Geography 1 by Memoria Press - Review

I have a confession to make.  I am a confirmed “geography-phobe.” Now, I know that isn’t really a word, but it describes the relationship I have had with Geography studies since I was in elementary school.  I didn’t realize the affect this had on my children until I noticed their lack of understanding  of current events in the world.  When they didn’t know where Egypt was on a map, or Syria, or Africa, I knew there was a problem.  We are schooling year round this year.  As part of our studies, Geography is getting a huge emphasis.  We received the complete Geography 1 set from Memoria Press for purpose of review.  I knew from the moment I examined the Memoria Press website that this was going to be a Geography curriculum that even I could understand.

     The Geography 1 set contains the Geography 1 Text, Geography 1 Workbook, Geography 1 Teacher Guide, United States Review (Student), and United States Review Key (Quizzes and Tests included). For $48, this is an amazingly complete curriculum.  Geography 1 is intended for students in grades 4-8.  I have been using it with my daughter, who has just completed seventh grade, and my son, who has just completed 10th grade.  Since we are so lacking in Geography skills around here, he was definitely not too old to use the curriculum.  In Geography 1, we have been working on studying the Geography of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. 

     This curriculum approaches Geography in a different way than I have ever seen. It actually makes Geography come to life and seem relevant. The regions we are studying may seem a bit familiar to you.  These are the regions that made up the historical Roman Empire.  My kids have been learning about different countries in these regions, the capitals of these countries, some of the history of the countries as well as present day information about the countries, and how these countries relate to the ancient Roman Empire.  We are having school time 4 days a week, so we work on one country each day and review the other countries we have studied each day.  The kids read the lesson for the day and then complete the correlating workbook page.  There are quizzes after every few lessons.  These quizzes are simple if students are reviewing everyday.  My daughter is the organized and color-coded type.  She has a system of colors that she uses on the maps on the workbook pages.  For examples, one of the first workbook pages she completed had a map of the entire Middle East.  She colored it with colored pencils and assigned each country a color. Then, as she studied each country individually, she made sure to color that country in its assigned color.   My son didn’t go that far – he is more of the ‘just the facts’ type.  He simply enjoyed reading and completing the worksheets and memorizing the facts.  Grading their work was simple with the Teacher Guide.  It contains everything I need to facilitate the curriculum. 

     We are also using the United States Review.  My daughter is much farther along in this than my son because she memorized her states and capitals several years ago.  It has become a challenge to him to learn the states and capitals and be able to recall them faster than her.  The United States Review workbook is very simple to use and is purely a book of worksheets reviewing the states and capitals, by region.  The quizzes cover each region and are very simple to understand. My kids do a workbook page each day and then review.  If they score below 90% on a quiz, they spend time reviewing and take the quiz again. 

     All in all, Memoria Press Geography 1 is a hit in our home!  I have learned as much as my kids.  We are going to continue to use Geography 1 over the summer and then move into Geography 2 in the Fall.  I really think that the things we all have been learning will enhance our other lessons. 

     Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reviewing Geography 1 as well as Prima Latina by Memoria Press.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below.

Christianity Cove–Teen and ‘Tween Bible Study / Sunday School Curriculum Review

Christianity Cove is known for being one of the leading web-based resources for Sunday School lessons as well as other Bible resources. We have been using two of their .pdf Bible Study resources: Freedom Ride, “a 12-week collection of Sunday School / Youth Group lessons for high schoolers” which is 83-pages long; and ‘Tween a Rock and a Hard Place, “lesson blueprints for the 12 most critical (& uncomfortable) subjects for tweens,” which is 165-pages long. **For these books, High Schoolers are students in grades 9-12, or ages 13-19, and tweens are kids aged 9-12.** Having six children whose ages only span ten years guarantees I have teens and tweens in my house for a long, long time.  As a matter of fact, I have had kids fitting into both age groups for the past 14 years, and I still have 6 years to go! 
     As a minister’s wife, I have had the privilege of teaching Sunday School / Bible Study classes across every age bracket.  By far, my favorite ages with which to work are the middle school – high school kids.  Our youth group begins with sixth grade, so most students are around 10 (definitely in the 9-12 year old range qualifying them as ‘tweens’) when they enter the youth group.  We have an unusual demographic in our large youth group in that around 90% of our youth are homeschoolers, including my own children.  Because of this, there are times when tough subjects such as conformity, peer pressure, gossip, modest dress, and abstinence must be addressed from a biblical perspective both in the home and local church.  I have been very impressed with both the content and the layout of the lessons in both of these products.  Along with ‘Tween a Rock and a Hard Place, I received a short .pdf book for Sunday School teachers and parents entitled “Tween Prep.”  This 17-page booklet is full of sound and logical advice about why we need to interact with tweens and how to do that effectively. 
     Our family is in the habit of a nightly family devotion time and our kids have their own personal Bible study times during the day.  Once I got a feel for how both books were laid out, I decided to incorporate one lesson every 2-3 days, spending about 20 minutes doing activities and discussion that were relevant to our family. I also selected some scripture passages and activities that the kids could do during their personal Bible Study times to keep each lesson at the forefront of their thinking and to reinforce concepts. We have used lessons from both Freedom Ride and Tween a Rock and a Hard Place.  Keep in mind that both of these books were originally designed for group study, so, in order to use it in a family setting you will need to be selective in the activities that you complete.  I read through a lesson, select activities and discussion questions to complete, and assemble any needed supplies before each lesson.  The lessons in both books are laid out in a very teacher-friendly format.  They are so easy to follow and there is very little in the way of outside materials needed (when there are outside materials needed they are common household items or items that are easy to attain).  We have been able to complete 6 lessons in each book.  Some of the topics we have covered from ‘Tween a Rock and a Hard Place
, are “Jesus is a Guy, not a Rule Book,” “Listening to Jesus,” and “God’s Voice or My Imagination.”  Some of the lessons we have covered in Freedom Ride include:  “How to Talk With God,” “How to Hear God,” and “Following God’s Leading.”  Notice how these lessons relate to one another!  I have been able to keep my tween and teens on common topics while utilizing stories, examples, discussion questions, and activities that were on their specific age levels.  It is not always easy to adapt this type of curriculum to a family setting; but, when it is a high quality curriculum like these two books, it is well worth the effort to fit the curriculum to your family. 
     For future publications, I would love to see Christianity Cove adapt these resources slightly by including suggestions about how to use them in a family setting as well as a class setting.  I think adding a chart in the introductory materials to show how the teen material (Freedom Ride) and the tween material (Tween a Rock and a Hard Place) can be used simultaneously with varied aged children would be awesome!
     Both ‘Tween a Rock and a Hard Place and Freedom Ride are available as immediate download from the Christianity Cove website for $29.
     Christianity Cove publishes a slew of other products, many of which have been reviewed by other members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below.

Let’s Make a Web Page - Review

When it comes to computer skills in our home, they are limited to making documents and surfing the web.  I have become much more tech savvy over the past few years; but, I am no where close to being as tech savvy as teenagers are.  That being said, even though my teens seem to be quite adept at technology, before we encountered “Let’s Make a Web Page” by Phyllis Wheeler, none of them knew how to actually code a web page.  Phyllis Wheeler is “The Computer Lady” from MotherboardBooks.com.  She has put this e-book together to introduce children, age 8 and older, to the basics of making web pages. 

     The Basics:  This 60 page e-book contains an introduction for parents, 9 lessons of varying lengths that children around ages 10-12 can complete with little to no parental assistance (under age 10 would require more parental assistance), an appendix covering how to upload the created page to the internet, and an appendix with troubleshooting helps.  Kids are guided, in a conversational style that is very easy to understand, through setting up a web page featuring an interview.  You will need to download a web page editor if you don’t already have one on your computer.  The instructions correlate with CoffeeCup Visual Site Designer, which offers a 30-day free trial installation.

     What We Did:  Once I downloaded the e-book onto my computer and my IPad, I wanted to spend some time reading through it myself (so I could not sound quite so stupid to my son if he had a question, ha ha!).  For an adult, it is an easy read, although, for me to actually go through and create a web page it would have taken me some time.  I loved having the e-book on my IPad.  By doing this, I was able to save paper and let my son use the book on the IPad while he was creating on the computer.  He is fifteen (for a few more days), so there were parts of the e-book that were a little young for him, but, he wanted to create a web page so badly that he could overlook that.  It took him roughly 45 minutes to complete each lesson.  He and a friend have a social networking page and a blog together and they do a lot of polls and interview type things, so he had plenty of information to draw from for his work. We already had CoffeeCup installed on my computer, so all he had to do with it was update the software and it was ready to use.  He is saving money to purchase his own domain name so that his web page can really be his own publication.  (Part of his web page design involves using some licensed images, so he can’t put it up officially until he has the permission for those images.)

     What He Learned:  In Chapter 1, he basically compiled the information that he wanted to include on his page, including pictures.  He typed this information into the Notepad on the computer and saved his pictures on the computer.  In Chapter 2, he learned how to set up and begin using CoffeeCup.  This involved getting a new page started, learning a few code basics (like beginning and ending symbols), setting up a page background (complete with different effects or a photograph), and adjusting other properties of the web page.  In Chapter 3, he learned how to import his text from the notepad into CoffeeCup and adjust the properties of his text by changing sizes, colors, etc… Lesson 4 covered adding photos and adjusting those in placement , size, and orientation.  Lesson 6 was one of his favorites! It covers surfing the internet for animations.  Phyllis gave some suggestions of websites to look at and actually shows how to use one of the sites to add animations to the web page.  Chapter 7 gave him opportunity to preview his work in a real browser so he could see if it was looking like he wanted it to look.  Phyllis gives several suggestions for places to look on the internet for images to use for backgrounds and how to use those.  (I am so thankful that she does this because the amount of information that comes up when you just try to search is overwhelming.) She also gives some hints about page layout and how to adjust things.  In lesson 8, he got to experiment around with adding sounds to the web page.  In Chapter 9, Phyllis shows how to add links to other websites to the web page.  James got to learn how to make text actually have a link attached to it so that when someone clicks on the text, they will be taken to the linked website.  The final chapter involves setting up the computer so that his web page is the start page on my web browser.  I have IE, Chrome, and Firefox on my computer.  The instructions go through using Firefox, so that is what he used.  He is now working with his friend to edit and add more features to make their page look ‘cool.’

What We Thought:  This was a great introduction to web page design.  It really piqued his interest and made him want to do more.  I can really see kids who are in 6th – 8th grades enjoying this immensely!  We have had fun with it and learned a lot.

Let’s Make a Webpage is available from MotherBoard Books for $19.95.  Phyllis has several other e-books also.  Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have reviewed this book as well as Logo Adventures from MotherBoard Books.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below. 

Graduation

 It seems like this picture was taken just yesterday. Tomorrow our fourth child will graduate from high school.  Joseph, you have become a fine young man.  We are so proud of you! God has great plans for you.  

       Wow! homeschooling kids all the way through high school is an amazing journey.  There have been so many ups and downs, tears and grins, successes and failures.  When one does graduate, and moves on to college studies or to join the work force, it all seems worth it.  We have two kids still homeschooling, but that is only for 5 more years.  I know I will miss it!
     One thing that I have learned along the way is to let my kids go and grow.  We definitely have rules in our home, but, as kids grow older they have more freedom as long as they exhibit responsibility.  I can't keep them tied to me forever - no matter how much I wish I could.

     So, if you are graduating a child, or getting close to that time, turn him over to God and trust that He will always remind him of what He has taught him through you. Easier said than done, I know; but, you will be so proud of your young adult child when you see him acting as the man God made him to be.
   
     

Review of Make it Real Learning from Math Mammoth

 Math Mammoth, the brain child of Maria Miller – “math teacher, turned housewife, turned homeschooler, who holds a master's degree in mathematics with the teacher educational studies, and minors in physics and statistics,” is a collection of math curriculum materials for grades k-12.  There is something for everyone in her materials.  We have been utilizing three titles out of her Make it Real Learning Series, written by Frank Wilson (another very experienced math teacher):  Geometry 1, Linear Functions 1, and Graphing &Other Algebra Skills 1. 

     Our family is no stranger to Math Mammoth products.  With six children, all of whom have different learning styles, I have used many of Maria’s products over the years.  I have also used them in tutoring situations with great success.  Some of the features of Math Mammoth curriculum products in general (that I absolutely love) are the ability to print pages as needed or, in some products, fill in the work pages on the computer using the typewriter feature; uncluttered work pages with some color but not enough to be distracting; and mastery curriculum rather than spiral curriculum.  My fifteen year old and thirteen year old have been using the Make it Real Learning books for several weeks now; and, I have them scheduled in our studies for the remainder of the summer. (Yes, we are schooling over the summer this year. ) We received the downloadable workbooks.

     My thirteen year old is mainly using the Geometry 1 (grades 6-7) and Graphing and other Algebra Skills 1 (grades 7- high school) books.  She completed Pre-Algebra in our co-op at the first of May, so these two books are a bit challenging; but, they have not been beyond her understanding at all.  She is a very independent worker and is very honest in her schoolwork, so when I printed both workbooks for her I left the answer key sheets (which follow each lesson) in the workbook.  I spiral bound the workbooks with a cardstock cover.  There are only 45 pages total in both workbooks, so, when I printed on both sides of the page this made for nice, portable workbooks that slip into her backpack easily.

     When she began working through these I sat with her and read through the first couple of problems to make sure she understood terminology and the math processes she would be using.  After that, she took off.  She completes a lesson in each workbook on Monday – Thursday.  She can glance at the answer key for help or come to me for help if she doesn’t understand something (so far, that hasn’t been very often).  In Geometry 1 she is studying math through “real-world situations that may be effectively analyzed using common geometric concepts such as area, perimeter, volume, and Pythagorean Theorem.” She has calculated the amount of concrete needed for a driveway, the cost of that concrete, worked through landscaping scenarios, and worked on swimming pool design, among other things.  In the Graphing and Other Algebra Skills 1 book, she has worked on interpreting graphs through real-life situations such as Autism Awareness studies and Portable Music Player studies.  She has also worked through designing paper and has examined a bit of personal finance with rate of change functions. All of the lessons she works through are 1 page front and back.  Sometimes it takes her a couple of days to complete a lesson (if it is particularly complex); however, I am seeing much more independence and understanding of mathematical concepts with her.

     My fifteen year old was needing some massive Algebra review over the summer since he is preparing for his ACT in September.  The Linear Functions 1 (Algebra 1 and 2 concepts) workbook has definitely been stretching him, and he isn’t a big fan of stretching mentally.  Fortunately, I am a huge fan of it, so he is going to complete this workbook as well as the two that my daughter has been working through.  He works more slowly in math, so most of the lessons take him 2 or 3 days to complete.  I bound the workbook for him, too.  That makes it so easy for him to grab and work on when we are at the dentist, etc…. He is working on things such as determining the best cell phone plan; examining studies about things like college graduates, nutrition programs, and life spans; and seeing how temperature conversions are actually linear functions.  I am seeing definite progress in his math skills and his level of understanding.    

  These workbooks are so refreshing because they show students how math actually is used in everyday real-world situations.  Recognizing and appreciating the relevance of math is crucial for a complete understanding of math.  I recommend the Make it Real Learning workbooks to anyone who desires a supplement to or enhancement to their current math curriculum, or who needs some reinforcement of particular concepts.  The individual workbooks are available for $4.99, and special bundles of the workbooks are available for $39.99.  There is even an awesome deal that includes all of the Make it Real Learning books (even the States by the Numbers books), for $79.99. If you are interested in seeing some samples of the workbooks offered through Math Mammoth, peruse the website and you will find many, many offers of free samples to download and examine.  You can even join two different e-mail lists that give you many free worksheets, math teaching tips, and helps. 

     My friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using many different titles from Math Mammoth.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below.  

Dreams of Joseph DVD Art Lesson - Review

I knew from the start that the Dreams of Joseph art lesson DVD by See the Light would be something special. I had never heard of the See the Light company before the opportunity for this review came up; but, I knew that I had some budding artists in my family (1 in particular).  See the Light, Drawing Children to Him is the full name of this amazing company.  The whole premise behind this company is to bring “scripture and biblical principles to viewers in a fresh, engaging way. . . . and promising to teach some exciting art skills along the way!”

     My kids have taken group art lessons before and enjoyed them greatly.  The one thing I felt they missed was step-by-step instruction as they learned to create their art.  Because of this, they seemed to merely be putting paint on canvas without really understanding technique.  This is definitely not the case with the Dreams of Joseph art project DVD.  When my son, who is 15, put this DVD in to play, the first thing he learned about was an artist named Marc Chagall. It was not a long art history lesson, but enough to give him a good feel for the style and technique of Chagall.  Then he dug into the painting (fun times!). 

      The DVD runs around an 1 1/2 hours in total length, broken up into 4 separate lessons.  It took my son around 3 hours to complete the entire painting.  Being a little older, he watched the entire DVD first and then went back and watched each section separately and completed his painting as he went along.  The Dreams of Joseph DVD is intended for children ages 10+.  James did think that the way the instructor spoke was a little bit ‘baby’ for him; but, he still enjoyed the lessons.  The master artist who presents these lessons is Pat Knepley.  She is very knowledgeable and seems to have really thought these lessons through thoroughly.  She shows the completed painting and then takes kids through how to create it as she demonstrates. 

      The fours lessons that James went through, after the brief art history and technique lesson, were Outlining Key Elements in Black, Paint the Background, Paint Joseph’s Colorful Robe, and Finish Your Painting with Joseph’s Dream Details.  The first lesson was a little foreign to both of us.  Pat has students not using pencil to sketch in initial key elements, but rather using a brush and black paint to create outlines.  By doing this, the overall finished picture sort of reminds me of stained glass.  It was super important that James not try to complete all four lessons in one sitting, because many of the elements of the painting needed to dry before going on to the next.

     As a parent, I appreciate that See the Light has listed all of the materials needed to complete the project on their website.  Most of the materials were things that I either already had at home or could purchase inexpensively.  It was so refreshing to be able to have things ready and waiting when we received the DVD.  For $14.99, this thorough art instruction DVD is an amazing bargain. Most importantly, as the children are learning these amazing art techniques, they are seeing, hearing, and drawing some of the greatest scenes recorded in the Bible.  Then,  as they share their work with others, they are sharing about the Bible with them.  I think this would be an amazing tool to use for an art camp or backyard Bible club. 

P.S. – Just for fun, I created a notebook page to accompany the art history / technique lesson about Chagall.  Click here to download it! I hope it will enhance your journey through the Dreams of Joseph DVD art lessons!

     My fabulous friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been using many of the products from See the Light. To see what they have to say about them, click on the banner below.